Lule lives with her son and his wife in Shllak. Their traditional stone home is nestled in the mountains, just downhill from a large field. There they cultivate the fields and raise pigs, chicken, and turkey in addition to keeping bees.

Lule was born in Tamal in 1935. She was married in Shllak and has lived in her home for 66 years. When she was a young girl, Lule did not wear the xhubleta. They were no longer in use for everyday life in Tamal when she was born. The first time she donned a xhubleta was on her wedding day. 

“No one looked more beautiful than us on that day.”

Her mother worked for a year to build Lule her wedding costume, and created them for no one else but her family. When it was finally finished, Lule got to put the xhubleta on. It made her feel big and proud. 

“The xhubleta is really beautiful and it makes you feel like a powerful woman when you wear it.”

Beyond her wedding, Lule wore the xhubleta for outings and special occasions for one year after. She saved it for years, but recently sold her xhubleta to a collector. Despite this, Lule is strongly of the opinion that northern Albanian women should continue to wear the xhubleta for their weddings so that they feel their ancestral pride.

“When I wear the xhubleta, I had to walk straight just like the women in Malesi e Madhe because the women in Malesi e Madhe were the best women you can meet.”

After all of these years, seeing the costume, even on television, still brings her great joy.